Sunrise
by OceanMist9
Summary: Seth is 22 years old, and one of the only werewolves left to imprint. What happens when the pack finds a human in the woods that is accompanied by both a vampire and a werewolf? And she’s convinced the Volturi are after her? OC/Benjamin/Seth.
1. Prolouge

Oh! Time for a rain check! This is the true story of Sunrise, just as I promised. The other was only a rough draft, if you will. It is so much more descriptive, and reflects the true nature of things.

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**(oh, the longing to be normal)**

**Bree  
**

I crashed through the woods wildly. I couldn't hear them coming after me anymore, but that didn't mean a thing. They were vampires, and could creep up on me at a moment's notice at any time. And of course, with my human ears I wouldn't hear them nearly fast enough.

I felt a fluttering near my heart. Chelsea definitely was getting better.

Anger suddenly overwhelmed me. Some friend _she_ was. Sure, she had her moments, but at the end of the day she was actually looking forward to turning me into one of _them_. Trying to sway me to them would never work. I hated theVolturi with all my heart.

I didn't feel bad for myself though. I felt bad for all the enemies of the Volturi after they changed me. I would do all their dirty work for them. They wouldn't have to lift a finger; all they'd have to do was watch my gift wreak havoc on their enemies.

I refused to be used.

I finally stopped in a clearing, my breath getting caught in my throat. If they were going to catch me, than at least I could put up a fight. Luckily for me, my gift was powerful enough to have manifested itself while I was still human. Maybe I could destroy some of them with it before they took me.

I sighed as I waited in the shadow of the tree. I was all alone, and pretty soon I wouldn't be me. I imagined the venom that would rage through my body, turning me into a monster. There was no escape. No hope.

"There is always hope," a quiet, musical voice said. My head whirled around.

A dark vampire stood there, his eyes on me. I gulped.

The Volturi had found me.

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Oh, the the longing to be completely rid of writer's block!


	2. Chapter 1

I'm so confused! Originally i was going to have a BreeXSeth pairing, but now I'm not so sure...

Disclaimer: Seth isn't mine. Benjamin isn't mine. Bree, however, IS MINE. She isn't the vampire in Eclipse.

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**(the beating wings of love will ultimately find you)**

Seth

My paws pounded the ground as I searched out the scent. It was hard to find, because the ground was completely muddy from the rain. My fur was slicked down close to my skin, and I was shivering. But I kept going, because my Alpha would expect no less.

Jacob Black was the craziest leader I'd ever had. But that really doesn't mean much, because I'd only had a total of two leaders. Sam constantly used the power he held over the rest of us. As Alpha, he could order us around like we were dogs, which, ironically, is exactly what we are. Jacob refused to use his authority, so basically we just did what we felt like. Or what he wanted (Usually the latter; we had some serious violence goin' on in the pack).

I finally found what I was looking for. The scent was buried deep under layers of mud, and I had to bury my face in mud just to find it. Let's just say I never wanna go out in the rain again. End of story.

I could smell a vampire, and that was what put me on edge. It wasn't the Cullens, because they never trespassed on our land without asking permission. It had to be a wanderer, which made the other thing I noticed stranger.

There was a human and werewolf scent wreathed around it.

_Hey Jacob. I found a weird scent near the river. _I said without much enthusiasm. If there was already a werewolf after this vampire, then we couldn't join the fight. Then I realized I didn't recognize the scent. It wasn't anybody from La Push, which meant…

That other werewolf packs existed.

_The werewolf scent isn't from La Push._ I explained my thoughts. _And the vampire scent I recognize. You remember the vampires from Egypt? There was one… I think his name was Benjamin._

_The Earth Mover? _Leah asked with excitement. I could feel her feelings, her paws aching to run and fight.

_Yeah. But we don't know what they want. Seth, don't attack if you find them. Wait for us. _Jacob said with authority.

_Will do. _I said sarcastically. I automatically took a whiff of the human scent. I didn't know this person either. But as soon as I tasted it, it drew me in. I felt my legs moving, and they wouldn't stop. I was being drawn in.

I finally realized that my legs were making me follow the scent. The _human_ one.

Oh man. Was this what imprinting felt like?

I burst into a clearing, and I immediately stopped short. This was where the scent was coming from.

I felt a sudden weight on my back and then a voice hissed in my ear.

"What do we have here?"

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R&R and tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 2

So yesterday I was looking over Sunrise, and I realized that this story could go two different ways, really. So I may decide to write it twice, one in each world. What worlds, you ask?

You'll just have to wait and see.

Disclaimer: I DON"T OWN BEN OR SETH. Kayla and Bree are mine, though. Bree ISN"T the vampire in Eclipse, just to clear things up.

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**(two paths cascade in a flurry of sparks)**

Bree

Kayla sank her long claws into the wolf's back. I widened my eyes and instinctively took a step forward. Benjamin gently pushed me back.

"Kayla!" he called to the werewolf. "Leave him alone. I thought I told you about the pack that lives around here!"

She growled as she leapt off of the sandy wolf, leaving him collapsed on the ground. She stepped closer to Benjamin until they were nose to muzzle.

"Don't order me around, bloodsucker."

"Don't act like a child, dog."

"I will when I-" Kayla yelped as a gust of wind blew her off her feet and into a tree.

"Ben!" I growled. "You promised you wouldn't use your gift!" Benjamin flashed a dazzling smile at me. I sighed.

"Kayla, are you okay?" I called. She got up, her tail twitching angrily. She stalked off into the bushes, ignoring me. But I doubted she could for long; both she and Ben shared one thing, a soft spot for me.

I rested my eyes on the sandy colored werewolf that was still lying on the ground. I tried to push past Benjamin to get a closer look, but something in his light eyes held me back as he stopped me.

"What?" I asked.

"He might be dangerous," Ben insisted. He instinctively fell into a crouch as he breathed in. "And his pack is coming to investigate. Where's Kayla when you need her?"

"I'm here," Kayla said stiffly. She had phased back into human form, and walked forward to stand at my side. Her warm hand resting on my shoulder, she leaned into me.

"Um, hello, fragile human here," I said, raising my hand. She was pushing too hard on my shoulder.

"Sorry," she said, flashing extremely white teeth at me. Benjamin snickered on the other side of me. I turned and looked him in the eyes.

"Like you wouldn't do the same thing," I snapped. His red eyes glowed, and I stepped back without meaning to. "Um, sorry," I squeaked in my haste to get away.

Kayla snarled, pushing me behind her. "I knew we couldn't trust a bloodsucker!"

Benjamin's eyes abruptly stopped shining. His normally cheery face fell into a frown. "What was that, dog? You honestly think I would hurt her?"

"How am I supposed to know? The very scent of her makes you go crazy. You think I don't notice that?!" Kayla's arm kept me from going to Benjamin. And she was so much stronger than me.

"Stop, Kayla! I know Benjamin wouldn't hurt me. What's up with you two? Always arguing! Well I'm tired of it. And just so you know, Kayla, Benjamin could have taken me himself. He _wanted _to wait for you. You just don't give him enough credit." I snapped.

"Take you where?" a voice said. "Benjamin, if you're trying to kill that human, I'm afraid we'll have to stop you." A dark skinned man stepped into the clearing, his eyes on the sandy wolf lying on the ground. "I'm the leader around here."

"Jacob?" Benjamin laughed. "You're the Alpha now? What happened to Sam?"

"Nothing. I have my own pack now. And I believe you're trying to get away from the point. Are you trying to hunt this human or not?"

"Stop referring to me like that!" I growled, my eyes locked on the Alpha's dark ones. "And Benjamin's trying to protect me! Don't stick your nose in other people's business!"

"Bree," Benjamin warned.

"No, " I told him. I stepped past him to the center of the clearing, very near to the sandy wolf. I kneeled down next to him, and hesitantly reached a hand out to touch the glorious fur.

"You know, don't you?" I asked gently. "Ben wasn't trying to hurt me."

The wolf looked up at me with curious light blue eyes. Suddenly they widened, and he froze. Slowly he nodded at the Alpha, Jacob. And his eyes returned to me, looking me over in wonder.

"His name's Seth," Jacob said. "And I believe him. But what are you doing on our land?"

"We have to take Bree here to the Cullens," Kayla said, glancing at Ben. The vampire nodded carefully. "The Volturi are after her. They'll be after us in a couple of weeks."

If the Alpha was surprised, he certainly didn't show it.

I turned away from Seth and walked back to my spot between Benjamin and Kayla. I heard a low whine, but nobody else seemed to notice. I didn't turn my head. I looked at Benjamin.

His light red eyes were analyzing me carefully. He was thoughtful, the wind ruffling his brown hair gently.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked in a low voice. He would hear me.

"Later," Benjamin breathed.

"Can we pass through?" Kayla asked, seeming to be respectful now. Even though she was the Alpha of her own pack.

"Of course you can." Jacob said. "The Cullens are to the east. Good luck with them."

He nodded at Seth who got up and followed his Alpha out of the clearing, with a few glances at me.

"I need to hunt," Kayla sighed, with a worried glare at Ben. "You won't eat her, will you?"

Benjamin smiled dazzlingly at me again, and I was temporarily blinded. "Not fair," I muttered.

"I already ate a-" He began.

"Spare me, will you?" I hissed, putting my hands over my ears.

"I'll meet you at the Cullen's house. The sooner Bree's there the safer she'll be." Kayla said, pretending not to notice the exchange. She dashed out of the clearing, and I heard a small pop that was probably her phasing into the large white wolf.

"Look," I said, turning to Benjamin. "What's with the bossing Kayla around? I know you're the oldest by a couple hundred years, but that's no reason to go all commando on us."

"So? You were backing me up," Benjamin said, coming a little bit closer to me. His mouth quirked up at the sides in a smile. "Benjamin's trying to PROTECT me, not eat me!" He did a perfect imitation of my voice.

I glared at him, my arms crossed across my chest. "How do I know you don't want to eat me?"

"You don't. You just have to trust me." He was suddenly bitter. "Why can't you be like Kayla? Everything would be so much easier." Benjamin ran his hand through his hair, his eyes closed. "But no, you have to trust me even after all you've been through."

I snorted, leaning up against an elm. I crossed my arms again, agitated. "I think I know the difference between the Volturi and you, Ben."

"You don't," he repeated, gritting his teeth and looking at me with blood red eyes. "Kayla is right. Though I'd never admit it to _her_, you do make me thirsty. Incredibly thirsty."

I pressed my back against the tree, determined to convince him he was wrong.

"I am the same as them, Bree. And one day this trust you put in me is going to kill you. To be honest, I don't want that." Benjamin's face was suddenly close to my own, his cool forehead brushing mine. I closed my eyes.

"You're not going to kill me, Ben. That's what makes you different from them. You're good inside. I know it," I insisted quietly. He laughed, the sound echoing bitterly around the clearing.

"I could kill you right now," he whispered. "What would become of your so called trust then?"

I opened my light blue eyes and looked directly into his flaming eyes. They were bubbling with anger and restraint. I leaned forward gently.

"Don't." he murmured. I waited a few seconds, my eyes on his face. I could tell he was concentrating, and I felt a subtle wind pick up, blowing toward my face. It whipped my hair out behind me, and I heard Benjamin sigh.

A howl echoed through the woods, a torn angry howl. Benjamin twisted around for a second, seeming to listen carefully. I leaned back against the tree, feeling very tired.

"Do you hate me, Benjamin?" I asked suddenly.

He didn't answer.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, sagging against the tree. "This is all my fault. I never should have-"

"Be quiet, please." he said, not even looking at me.

I slid against the trunk all the way to the ground and buried my face in my arms. He did hate me.

But then I heard it.

My head rose as I tried to catch the sound. Both Kayla and Ben had better hearing than me, and right now I was slightly wishing that I _was_ immortal. But I could still make out the sound, a loud yowling that seemed to go on and on. And I knew, without a doubt, who was making that awful sound.

I picked myself up, ready to launch myself into the forest.

Benjamin held out an arm to stop me, still not looking me in the eyes. I tried to push my way past him, but, you know vampires; they've got godly strength.

"He really knows what he's doing, doesn't he? That dog!" Benjamin's voice had turned bitter again, and it sliced through me painfully. He was talking to himself.

"I've got to help him, Ben! He's probably in trouble, maybe the Volturi got him?" I knew I was babbling. "And that makes it my fault."

His cool skin burned against my arm, and against his rock hard skin I could feel my heartbeat racing. Benjamin must have sensed it too, because he broke out of his reverie and turned to face me, his eyes gentle.

"Don't be scared. It's nothing you can help him with."

"What's wrong, Ben?"

He ignored my question. "Please, stay here. With me."

I tipped my head. What the heck was wrong? Something had happened to Seth, that much I knew. But why was Ben trying to prevent me from helping? He sounded desperate, which meant that it was important. He never showed his emotions.

"I've got to go, Ben." I pushed past him, and he let me go. But I didn't see the pain in his eyes, the warning.

_Let her go._

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So how was that for a chapter ender, eh? Still wondering about the BreeXSeth pairing… R&R as always, please!


	4. Chapter 3

So… Seth is in L~O~V~E. Aww so cute. I can't help but love him back :)

Diclaimer: Twilight isn't mine. It never was to begin with. BUT KAYLA AND BREE BELONG TO ME. This is the last time I'm gonna say it; Bree isn't the vampire from Eclipse.

This chapter goes out to Lucksta 4eva! For being such an amazing reviewer i could hug her!

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**(deception is never the reflection in the mirror)**

Seth

The pain coursed through me, and my tail swished against the ground. I scrabbled with my claws to gain a foothold, but I couldn't manage.

Why why why…

Finally the pain stopped, and I was able to lay my head against the ground. My head reeled from all the hurt, and it was all that bloodsucker's fault. That _she _had to be the One, that she liked _him_. It was too much.

_Seth?_ It was Jacob. _Leah, I can't get through to him. What's wrong?_

I refused to answer. My feelings were much too personal, and Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee, where he didn't have competition with anybody. But if I had to share Her with that, that vampire… well She wouldn't really be mine.

_I think I'm okay. _I gasped.

_What happened?_ Oh, so NOW Leah felt like being all compassionate, when she wouldn't even switch shifts with me earlier. What a good big sister she was.

_Nothing. I just…tripped._ Now I knew it was a lame excuse, but they just might've bought it with a little luck.

_No way._

Maybe a lot.

_We felt your pain, too. We each shouldered it a bit for you._ Gee, thanks.

I tried to get up.

_I think I'm okay, guys._

_If you say so._ Jacob growled.

Suddenly I could smell Her. The scent wreathed about my head, making my mind confused. But all that mattered was that She had come looking for me.

"Seth?"

I whimpered. She had said my name! My ears flicked to the west, and soon I heard Her, stumbling blindly through the forest. All my instincts cried out to help Her as I struggled to keep myself on the ground.

Love is war, love is war, I told myself.

So it was. Between me and that bloodsucker She thought was Her friend.

I let out another whimper. She drew closer, and I could finally lay my eyes on Her again.

She had long dark hair that reached the middle of her back, and light blue eyes that right now were as worried as heck for me. Just to see that expression on Her face made my day.

I laid back. And waited.

"Seth! Are you okay?" She sounded flustered and upset. I whined, my eyes rolling back into my head.

"Oh my gosh. What's wrong?" She was leaning in close, her eyes looking into mine.

It was heaven.

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Sorry about the short chapter- I'll have another one up soon enough :)


	5. Chapter 4

Whoa. Thanks for the reviews, everyone! It may not mean a lot to all of you, but it makes me feel good to actually get good reviews.

As always, thanks to Lucksta 4eva, dancingwiththecullens18, and tlover13 for being there. This one's for all of you!

Diclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Kayla is mine. Bree is mine. Deal with it :P

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**(the selflessness, why does it burn me?)**

Bree

I stumbled through the forest, blindly crying Seth's name, without any thought for myself. If the Volturi were out here, let them find me. I didn't care anymore.

"Seth!"

A low whimper reached me, and I swung my head toward the sound. I ran toward the sound, tripping over branches and falling against the trees. I really wasn't a woodsy person; Kayla had insisted we could travel faster in the wild than we could by human means, and it would be easier for Ben if we didn't go near any other humans…

Ben.

What was wrong with him? Why did he not want me to leave? I was tired of being told what to do. Sure, he was the one who had rescued me from the Volturi and I was forever indebted to him for that, but what did he want in return? He was a vampire, wasn't he? Kayla said I shouldn't trust them, no matter what. And my own experiences told me not to trust him either.

But I did, for some unexplainable reason.

I shook myself off, entering reality reluctantly. Seth whimpered again.

He was lying on his side, his eyes closed. I fell to my knees beside him, and ran my hands over the sandy fur that covered his side.

"Seth? Are you okay?" I checked my voice; absolutely hysterical.

He didn't move.

"Oh my gosh. What's wrong?" I leaned in close to his muzzle. Suddenly his eyes flicked open.

They were deep brown, flecked with gray. They were bright, intelligent, and I couldn't stop staring at them.

"What's wrong?" I repeated softly.

He just looked at me.

"I'm going to go get help."

As I dashed out of the clearing, I didn't hear Seth get up with a sigh. I didn't feel the strong breeze, or feel the earth slightly tremble.

I had to find Jacob.

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The yipping started up again just after I had made it to the clearing where Ben and I had been earlier. There was no sign of the vampire or Kayla. But as soon as I heard Seth again, I turned right back around and started the grueling hike back.

Twenty five minutes later I was right back where I started.

"AARRGGG!" I yelled as I kicked a tree. I would never be this lost at the mall; what was Kayla thinking when she dragged me out into the wilderness, out of civilization?

Suddenly I heard a threatening growl.

I whipped around as I started toward the noise. But I stopped cold in my tracks as I heard a cold voice. I snuck closer, determined to hear what Benjamin was saying to whoever he was talking to.

Seth.

"I'm warning you, if you ever mess with her like that again, I'll kill you, mongrel." Benjamin snapped coldly.

"She isn't yours. You can't do whatever you want to her and get away with it, bloodsucker. You're on La Push land now." Shivers went down my spine as I realized this was the first time I had ever heard Seth talk. And he was threatening one of my friends.

What was Seth doing here? He had been hurt earlier… Suddenly it hit me. He had been pretending! And Benjamin knew that. He had tried to stop me, tried to protect me, and I hadn't listened. Seth HAD been messing with me.

But why? I had cared about him enough to chase him down in the forest (remember how much I loathe the forest?) and tried to help him. How could he repay me this way?

"Jacob wouldn't be very happy with you if you attacked me now, would he Seth?"

The werewolf just snarled. "You're going to kill her just to satisfy your own selfish desires eventually, bloodsucker. I've seen it happen too many times. You are no different." He bounded out of the clearing, and I sat down on the ground before I could fall.

"Bree?"

What did he want now? My head felt like it was exploding. I closed my eyes and leaned against a tree. I could hear his quiet footsteps coming closer.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah right! You knew I was there the entire time! What is this, some contest with me as the prize? I…I just…" I stumbled for a second. The pain hit me and I curled up on the ground.

It felt like forever for the pain to ease. I sat up stiffly, opened my eyes, and he was still there. His eyes were watching me carefully, and he made no move to get closer to me. They were blood red. He must have just hunted. I leveled my gaze with his, thinking about what Seth had just said.

_You're going to kill her just to satisfy your own selfish desires eventually._

I was tempting fate, and yet, I felt no fear.

I rose slowly, trying my legs first to make sure they wouldn't collapse. They were perfectly fine. I stepped toward him, my eyes still on his. I came to a halt just a foot away.

"Benjamin, I didn't mean what I said earlier. I just didn't understand why Seth would try to hurt me." I searched his eyes and saw a flicker of intelligence, and then it was gone. "I-"

"I know," he finally said.

I leaned forward gently. I saw his eyes widen in surprise.

"I trust you." His eyes were still surprised, but he understood.

"Bree, I can't-"

"You won't."

"You don't know that." He whispered, his voice slightly hoarse. "You CAN'T know that."

"Fine," I sighed angrily. I went over to my old spot by the tree and sat down, with my back up against the rough bark. I closed my eyes.

Feather light lips brushed against my own for a second, momentarily stealing my breath and all the heat in my body. I sighed as I felt Benjamin's cool forehead touch mine.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" he breathed, his breath tickling my nose.

"More than anything," I whispered, my eyes opening to look into the red eyes inches from mine. I still wasn't scared. Benjamin had this well under control.

He shifted, and his lips pressed against mine gently. He was leading, while I was just following behind. He had centuries of experience, after all. And he would know his own boundaries.

I leaned into him, the wind gently ruffling my hair. I soon realized he was trying to keep my scent away from him so he had more control. We broke apart again, me breathing heavily and slightly dizzy. His eyes were closed, and I took that to mean we had exhausted his self-control for a long while at the least. I leaned back against the tree again.

"You have more control then you'd like to believe," I murmured to him.

He smiled, his eyes still closed. "Apparently. But I question your motives as to why we just did that. I'm not sure if it was just to prove a point."

I stopped myself saying so just in time. What if Benjamin was becoming more than a friend? Kayla would flip out and Benjamin would have the whole La Push pack after him.

"What about you?" I teased softly. "You didn't have to."

"You're right, again. But I came real close to losing it."

"I couldn't tell. You didn't even hurt me. But, was Seth right? About you eventually…?" I clamped my mouth shut. I'd gone too far with that last question.

"Seth," Benjamin whispered bitterly, his voice a column of sorrow. " I should have never let you meet him. Now we will all pay the price."

"But I can choose," I replied softly. His eyes flashed up to my face.

"He imprinted on you! Now you belong to him in a way that…" I could tell he didn't even want to finish that sentence.

"I don't belong to anyone!" I snapped, pushing myself up. "I wish everybody would stop trying to own me. I'm a person in my own right too! If I belong to anyone, it's-"

"She's right there, Benjamin." Kayla said smugly, appearing out of thin air.

I turned my head and glared at her. The werewolf shrugged. "Well you ARE right, in a weird twisted sort of way. I mean, the Volturi think they own you, this Seth guy thinks he owns you, and now even I'm beginning to think I own you a little bit. I'm sure Benjamin feels the same. We both saved you from the Volturi, so we think you belong to us, not entirely of course-"

"When is this going to end?" I mumbled to myself under my breath.

"-but you belong all the same. And soon the Cullens will think they own you." She said darkly. "But they'll be wrong. And anybody who thinks they've ever owned you even a little bit can never say so ever again. You belong to yourself."

"Thanks for that little speech, Kayla." Ben said, pretending to stretch. "Now I feel like taking a nap."

Kayla rolled her eyes at me, fighting a smile. I grinned wholeheartedly back, happy to have someone finally understand. But then her face turned serious, and her dark eyes focused on mine.

"I'm going to go out to the lake to get some peace," Benjamin said, gracefully striding his way over to the corner of the clearing. Coward. He knew what was coming.

Kayla waited for him to get out of eavesdropping distance, and that took quite a long time. Then she turned to me.

"I saw what you did. I hope you know what you're doing, playing with fire like that. You could get killed."

"You don't trust Ben?"

Suddenly her face fell into a grin. "It's not him I don't trust. It's you."

"What?"

"Benjamin knows what he's doing. I'll give him that much. But you, you can't control your instincts as well as he can. He's had centuries to understand his boundaries. But you could get yourself killed by pushing him too far. And that would be just downright terrible."

"Ha! You couldn't care less!" I laughed, noticing the sly look on her face. "You'd just love for Ben to mess up, wouldn't you?"

Her face transformed again. "Not if his mistake involves you." Then she suddenly realized what she said. "Whoa!"

I laughed at her rapidly blushing face. She was swelling up defensively, the look on her face turning to one of annoyance.

"You both feel attached now," I said, realizing it was true. "There's something about me that you just can't ignore. That's why you came with me."

"Originally I wanted to make sure Benjamin didn't take advantage of you or try to eat you or something."

"You're so paranoid!"

She pushed me, and my head slammed against the tree behind me. "Alright," I mumbled. "I give."

"What was that?"

"I give!"

"Hm?"

"I GIVE!!!"

"Take it back."

"Heck, no."

"Now." Her hand rose.

"No way!" Kayla's hand came within an inch of my face. I froze time and giggled. Her face was almost enough to make me quake with fear, if there hadn't been a slight hint of humor in her eyes.

I got up, careful to avoid her hand (she would unfreeze if her skin touched mine) and settled in behind her. I concentrated, and time sped up.

Kayla's hand hit the tree, and suddenly she was swearing.

"Now, now, Kayla. There's no need for that type of language." I danced tauntingly out of her reach.

"I'll get you, you little wimp. Loser. COWARD!!!" Whoa. That was almost enough for me to feel guilty about using my gift. Oh well.

She cradled her hand in her lap, and within seconds it wasn't curled and bent anymore. She wiggled her fingers at me.

"Get over here, brat."

"Yeah right."

"I'll kill you."

"Like that'll make me want to come."

She stood up.

"You're not gonna phase HERE, are you?"

_Pop._

"Guess so," I nervously laughed.

The pure white wolf trotted up to me, close enough to stare me directly in the eyes. Her eyes were dark black, ringed with an almost red brown. And they were narrowed in fury.

"Um," I gulped in terror.

She started barking, and I realized it was her form of laughter. Her long claws sank deeply into the ground as she shook inwardly.

"You better not be laughing at me," I said, waggling a finger at her. I glared sternly at the white wolf.

The laugh boomed through the clearing, and I couldn't resist.

"You…monster…" I gasped, gripping my sides.

Even with everything that was going on, namely the threat from the Volturi and the fact that Benjamin was in danger from the La Push Pack, I couldn't stop laughing. It felt good to get away from it all.

If only I had known.

* * * * * * * * * *

His eyes peered out from the bushes at Her. Feeling coursed through Seth as he watched Her easy manner with Her werewolf friend. Maybe that could be him one day. But he had done a terrible thing today, hurting Her like he had.

He was sorry.

But watching Her, loving Her as much as he did, Seth realized that the only thing he really wanted was for Her to be happy.

And that might mean that he would never be with Her.

* * * * * * * * * *

The ground was cool to his soft fur as he lay on his back and watched the sparkling stars overhead. The skies were rarely as clear as this, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was an omen.

_Omen? Have you had one too many raspberries, Jay?_

The second in command of the Italian Pack of werewolves twitched his ears in annoyance.

_Shut up, Zach._

_I can imagine what's going through your mind right now… Kayla, Kayla, and more Kayla!_

The wind whispering softly in his ear, the werewolf pushed himself up and began to trot toward the source of the thoughts. How would the young wolf know what it was like to have imprinted?

A sudden yowl split the night.

Jay began to sprint faster.

_Zach? _

Nothing.

_Zach, answer me! This better not be a joke-_

A dark shape pelted past him, almost knocking him over. The shape slid to a stop and stood shivering.

_No no no no no…_

_What Zach? Answer or so help me I'll-_

_It's them._

Before Jay could ask, he sensed them.

Dark shadows appeared in the clearing, circling them and cutting off all escape. The air was suddenly choking, and Jay heard Zach gasping for breath behind him.

A low growl ripped itself out of him, and he crouched down, anger already overtaking him.

_Kayla, where in the world are you?_

_* * * * * * * * * *  
_

In case you're wondering, the Italian Pack is Kayla's pack. She is the Alpha, and her second command and imprint is Jay, the werewolf whose point of view the last bit was in.

Spoiler: They're slightly…._different_ from Jacob's pack :D

And you're probably wondering why the heck the Volturi are chasing after Bree? Her gift, of course :). If you read the entire chapter thoroughly, you'd see that she has the power to...ah, oops! NM!!! You'll find out later...

As always, please R&R!


	6. Chapter 5

Hey hey! Sunrise is going fine, the day outside is the most gorgeous we've had in years, and I'm in such a good mood… Thank you, my lovely reviewers, especially Lucksta 4eva, who's been with me since, well, uh forever (actually since the beginning :P).

As well as tlover13; I owe you so much, kelse. You took the time to read my stories at the lunch table, even with our very short lunch period (and even longer food lines :D) thank you so much. That comes from both Syd and me.

Diclaimer: Just forget it. You know what I mean.

* * * * * * * * * *

**(to love is to destroy)**

Seth and Bree

"You WHAT??!!"

Uh oh.

I glared at Jacob, my eyes narrowed and my heart pounding. He soo was not going to just let it drop.

My eyes looked over at Leah, but she was cowering in the corner, totally useless. But then I realized we were alike. We both had loves that were out of bounds to us, loves that were outlawed.

That was just about where our similarities ended.

"I can't believe this," Jacob growled, his voice rising. "You imprinted? How is that possible?"

"It's instinct, Jake. Seth couldn't have done it on purpose." Quil broke in, his arm curled around his girlfriend, Claire. He leaned back on the couch, his eyes on Jake's. Quil was one of the oldest werewolves besides the Alpha, and I was desperately hoping, although Jake was completely angry with me and had no right to be, that Quil would convince him it wasn't my fault.

"You imprinted on Renesmee. Sam thought that was a huge problem at the time, too. I know this seems bad, but Seth imprinted on her. What's done is done."

"There's a difference, Quil. Nessie's not dangerous. That girl, Bree or whatever her name is, has the potential to be the biggest threat to our pack. She can freeze time, for goodness sake! And in a couple of days, she'll be a vampire."

I'm sure the pain was clear on my face, because Jake's voice lowered, an earnest look in his eyes. "That means the Volturi will be able to get to her."

My hands tightened into fists. "No they won't."

"Seth." Quil warned, his eyebrows coming down on his eyes.

"Listen. The Cullens will protect her like they did Nessie. And I'll be there to help them."

"Why would they help complete strangers?"

"Benjamin isn't a complete stranger to them or us, Jake." Leah said quietly. I gave her a dagger glare. Where did her anger at that stupid vampire go? "We all owe him, us and the Cullens. He fought the Volturi for us."

That bloodsucker. He was the only one I felt a real aversion to, probably because we were fighting each other for Bree. I wondered if we had met under different circumstances, could we have been friends?

"She's right," Embry chimed in. Dang it.

I bit my lip. I was heavily outnumbered, at least five to one.

"I'll go alone."

Jacob leaned in, and I could feel the heat rolling off his body. My werewolf instincts screamed out at the iron will he pressed against me. "No."

But my own will was stronger, especially where Bree was involved. I shook off the order, my mind completely clear.

"I'm sorry, Jake. But this is the one time I can't listen to you. You should know that, with Renesmee and all. And so should all of you." I turned to the rest of the pack. "You've all fallen, all of you have imprinted. Except me."

"Hey, Seth, don't do this-"

"I don't have a choice."

The glass hit me face first, crackling over my fur as I crashed through the window, hitting the ground running. Soon there was no existence of the scratches that once covered my skin.

Jacob locked eyes with Quil.

"He could have used the front door, couldn't he…?"

* * * * * * * * * *

I raced through the forest, my heart pounding in my ears. I hardly knew where I was going, and I didn't care. All I could think about was Her.

I focused on the rhythm of my paws, slamming the ground over and over again, one beat, two beats, three beats, four. One beat two beats, three beats, four.

_Hold up, Seth! Wait up! _A voice said in my mind, and instinctively I slowed. I recognized Brady's persistent whine. _Seriously! What did you eat for breakfast? Wheaties?_

_Get out of my head, Brady!_ I snapped. The thirteen-year–old kept up his useless talk.

_C'mon, Seth. I can help._

_It's too dangerous, Brady. _

Suddenly his whine broke off, and was replaced by a deep growl.

_Don't you dare say I'm too young! I get enough of that crap from Jake-not you too. Please._

I stopped completely, pricking my ears for Brady. I waited a long time, and was just about to start running again when he tumbled out of the bushes.

_Hi!_

I flicked my ears in greeting. I wasn't about to get social.

Brady's black tail lowered as he looked at me. The white stripe down his back glinted in the darkness, turning a glowing silver. His big blue eyes were wide as he looked at me. _What now, boss?_

_We wait, _I stated calmly.

Brady paced in a circle. _For what?_

_For them to come to us._

_* * * * * * * * * *  
_

Kayla froze. I glanced at her, wondering what the heck was going on. A look of horror was spreading across her face, a nameless horror that was filled with dread. A cold weight settled in my stomach.

She threw her head back and yowled such a cry of pain that it hurt me just to hear it.

"JAY!!!!"

She fell to the ground, shuddering. In a second Benjamin was standing right next to me, and I had no time to wonder where the heck he had come from. His gaze had settled on Kayla solemnly, as though watching for something.

"No!" She yowled again, and my ears rung with the cry, resounding forever in my mind. "Run! Don't fight. Just run! You can't fight them, Jay. " Her voice fell to a plea. "Jay, please. Don't try."

Recognition dawned on me. "Jay? That's her second in command."

Benjamin nodded, his eyes not leaving Kayla. "If this means what I think it does, we're in trouble. The Volturi are attacking her pack."

"No," I breathed. Memories flashed in front of my eyes; memories of the solemn, silver wolf, Jay; of the pack lounging under the shade of the forest, their eyes on me when I needed their help; of the love between all of them, the special bond that made them Kayla's family. So much pain…

"We have to do something!" I cried, running to Kayla's side. She was still twitching as I dropped to my knees and ran a hand over her fur. Her heart was beating frantically under my fingers, almost as if she were with Jay, running when he was and fighting alongside him.

"Take the pack and run, Jay. Do it." Kayla's voice rang strongly through the clearing. "Do it. For me." At last she slumped against the ground, her breathing returning to normal. I leaned over her, but her eyes were still closed, eyelids occasionally fluttering.

I raised my gaze to Benjamin's, feeling the ground rumble under my feet. The wind blew my hair back, the trees rustling behind me.

"We have to get to the Cullens. Now." Benjamin's tone left no room for disagreement. "They're the only ones who can help us now."

He was across the clearing in a flash, scooping up Kayla as if she weighed only a pound, then suddenly was back at my side. His red eyes were steely, his face completely expressionless. It scared me to see him like this.

"Leave me behind," I murmured suddenly. "I won't be able to keep up. You have to warn the Cullens." I stepped toward the shadows, disappearing into the darkness.

Benjamin looked at me, and I was relieved to see that he was the Benjamin I knew. He smiled a little smile.

"I'll be back," he warned, the smile still on his face. "I promise."

"I know," I whispered. He glanced at me one more time, and then he just disappeared off the face of the earth.

I sank back against a tree, my knees trembling. My mind was flooded with questions, all practically begging to be answered. Everything seemed to be happening at once, and it was too much for me.

I stared up at the sky, suddenly so dark and grey. A storm was on its way, the clouds gathering angrily above. Everything seemed ominous, the chill in the wind, the rustle of leaves, the way the storm blocked out the sun.

I faded deeper into the shadows, curling up at the bottom of the tree.

Time to wait out the storm.

* * * * * * * * * *

Happy Early Birthday, Alfonso! It's way early (at least ten days), but you live so dang far away that I wanted to give you a head's up!

Just so you know, I didn't get you a present.

R&R! Please, my life depends upon it!

Seriously. Review.


	7. Chapter 6

Sorry bout the long wait- especially you, Frankie -and I just wanted to say thanks to those good people that didn't explode during the Void, as I like to call it :) You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: Nope. But Melina is ALL MINE. YOU can't have HER.

Enjoy :D

* * * * * * * * * *

**(encased in ice, time freezes for those with the power)**

Bree

The rain fell lightly at first, then, with a sudden anger that seemed to be directed at me, the rain poured upon the unsuspecting forest, the wind blowing it toward the elm I had taken shelter under. I shuddered at the chill that settled in my heart, incasing it in ice that couldn't be melted by curling up tighter around myself. I had a feeling that it wouldn't melt for a long time, and that it would settle like a weight in my chest until Ben came back.

I had a lot of thinking to do. Why didn't I just give myself up to the Volturi? They were hunting down and killing everyone who had ever helped me escape them, anyone who had even a connection to me. And they were going to come here eventually, to try and annihilate the Cullens and take me back. If there's one thing I hated, it's people that hide behind others, using them as a type of shield to protect themselves from harm. I wasn't going to become that type of person if I could help it.

I narrowed my eyes, a root poking uncomfortably into my back. Trying not to uncurl myself, lest I freeze to death, I shrugged my shoulders, turning me on my side and off the root. The chill was beginning to seep through my veins, slowly but steadily turning my blood to ice. I really began to wish that someone was here with me, that I wasn't completely alone…

A gaze was burning into my back, and with effort I slowly pulled myself up into a sitting position, my arms still curled around my knees and hugging them to my chest. I twisted around.

A vampire was standing there in the clearing, her golden eyes wide. "You're Bree, right?"

I studied her for a second. "Who're you?" I finally asked.

She let out a laugh like pealing bells. "Melina Cullen at your service. All around good cook, naturalist, reader of manga, and with a love of cute dogs."

I couldn't help it; I broke out in a smile. "Yeah, I'm Bree. Did Benjamin send you?"

Melina nodded solemnly. "Carlisle's taking care of the werewolf right now."

"_The_ Carlisle?" I asked in amazement. "The one who fought off Aro all those years ago?"

She nodded again, her blonde plaits swinging. She had beautiful long hair the color of honey that matched perfectly with her golden eyes. They were slightly dreamy, looking off in the distance, and I knew she must be a dreamer, always imagining things and laughing aloud at random times.

Melina's forehead creased in thought. "Carlie wanted me to make sure you were okay. He says it isn't good for humans like yourself to be outside in weather like this; you could get sick."

I laughed at her confused expression. "Weren't _you_ human at one time too?"

"Well, yeah. But I don't remember what that was like at all." She eyed me like I was a ticking time bomb and she didn't know when I was going to explode. "I think humans are rather unstable."

"Do I _look_ unstable to you?" I choked out between giggles.

"Do you _want_ me to answer?" Melina shot back at me, a grin spreading across her face. In a second she had crossed the clearing and picked me up like I was a baby.

"Hey!" I cried, startled.

"You do want to meet Carlie, don't you? He wants to meet you." Melina explained, her golden eyes shining. "And you can see the werewolf and Ben, too. He's been really worried, but he didn't want to leave the werewolf. What's her name…?

"Kayla," I supplied. My heart wasn't faring well; the chill of Melina's skin was speeding up the ice forming in my veins. I coughed.

"Yeah," Melina said, her brow furrowing. "Are you okay?"

I looked at my hands; they were slightly bluish. All of a sudden I felt faint and weak. "No," I said in a tiny voice, my throat searing.

My eyes fell closed. We were traveling fast, the wind pressing me up against Melina. Her cold skin sucked what little warmth was left in my body, and I began to shiver uncontrollably.

"Hold on, Bree. We're almost there," Melina whispered to me.

I was aware of us halting, of Melina conversing in low tones with someone, and had time for one last conscious thought.

_I'm hungry_, I thought dimly before drifting off into the world of dreams.

* * * * * * * * * *

I swam hazily into consciousness, my eyes fluttering open reluctantly. I felt so drained, struggling to take in a breath. My body responded so sluggishly slow that I wondered if I was dying. It certainly felt like it, this searing pain and aching muscles spread all through me. Everything I saw was blurry.

"Bree?" Someone whispered. "Carlisle, she's waking up."

"Huh?" My throat felt swollen. A shape was leaning over me, concern etched into every line on his face. "What's-"

"Shhh," Ben whispered softly. "You're very sick, Bree. I can't believe I left you out there in this weather for five hours. What do you think, Carlisle?"

The person leaning over me straightened up. "She has a very bad case of pneumonia. I'm afraid that she might not make the night. I ordered the medicine, but it won't come until tomorrow morning." He shot a look at Ben, and a second later the door was shutting quietly behind him.

Ben's angelic face creased in worry. I watched him with my blurry sight, wishing I could wipe that look off of his face. Angels should never look that worried.

"What are you doing here? You should be with Kayla, Ben. Don't worry about me-"I burst into a bout of coughing. "Just go," I wheezed, trembling as a chill washed over me.

"I'm not leaving you again," he murmured. "They managed to stabilize Kayla, and she's going to make it. Now it's your turn."

I sighed, then sneezed violently. "Ow."

Ben leaned back in his chair, still watching me impassively with blood red eyes. I sank back gratefully onto the pillows, ignoring my aching body's protests. I closed my eyes, shivering under the sheets, unable to control the creeping dread. I had to survive the whole night like this? I wasn't that strong, and Ben knew it. How could he have let this happen?

I sneezed again, searing pain raking my throat. I couldn't hold back the whimper; it ripped its way right out, and I shuddered.

"Oh Bree, I'm so sorry," Ben whispered, raw remorse coloring his voice.

"S'not your fault," the words scraped out. My eyelids fluttered for a second as I fell limp against the bed. "You had to save Kayla."

"No I didn't. I should have chosen you over her; she hates me anyway. I just have this feeling that tonight, one of you is going to die. And things aren't looking so good for you right now." Ben said bitterly. I heard a crack; he must have gripped the chair arm so hard that it had snapped in half.

"Pneumonia isn't so bad," I said halfheartedly, "Rather preferable to death by fang."

Ben took a sharp intake of breath. "Don't ever say that again." I winced inwardly.

I drifted unconsciously, occasionally dreaming, occasionally coming awake; sometime around midnight I woke up. The moonlight bent around the room, bathing everything in a silvery glow. Ben looked like a statue, just sitting there, and affection and pity gripped my heart. He looked so drawn out and tired, dark shadows under his eyes sticking out against his pale skin.

Suddenly a figure was leaning over me, her eyes narrowed.

"You don't look so good."

Ben shook himself behind her. "Don't scare her like that, Melina. You might send her over the edge."

"You look terrible," Melina repeated, ignoring Ben. She tipped her head, looking me up and down with solemn eyes. "Feeling bad enough to die?"

"Not bad enough not to kill you," I muttered, throat twanging.

"That's not a nice thing to say to someone!" Melina drew herself up to her full height, her dreamy golden eyes beginning to waver with what looked like tears. "Say you're sorry!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Apologize already!" Ben snapped.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

Melina laid one hand against my forehead. "Whoa, you're burning up!"

"Thanks for noticing," I replied dryly. "Now could you please-"I cut off.

Warmth was spreading through Melina's hand, burning comfortably against my skin, continuing to spread down to my toes. It didn't hurt at all, this feeling; the feeling that, I soon realized, was saving my life.

Melina's hand was glowing in the moonlight, her eyes closed dreamily.

This had to be all her.

The aching rose from me, to be replaced with energy; the chills were chased away by heat. I felt the sickness being lifted from me as the ice around my heart shattered into pieces, pulsing again with vibrant life.

Melina lifted her hand, her eyes opening slowly. "You okay?"

Ben had frozen halfway across the room, his eyes sparkling with some unnamed emotion. "Bree? What happened?"

I opened my mouth to speak, and my throat felt wonderful. "Melina healed me."

"You did that?" The Egyptian vampire sounded slightly suspicious as he crossed the room in two steps, stopping at my side.

"I guess. I didn't do it on purpose, though. That's never happened before."

"You have a gift then, too." Ben shrugged. "So do I."

"You two can have a nice chat if you want. _I'm _going to see Kayla." I set my feet down gently on the wooden floor, just to be held back by Ben. I set my mouth in a stubborn scowl, partly because I was disappointed that he wouldn't let me go, and partly because of the feeling pulsing through me at the touch of his hand. "What now?"

"You still might be sick," he insisted, turning to Melina for backup. "Right?"

Mel's eyes went from me to Ben in an amused sort of way, taking in my scowl that was slowly deepening, to Ben's angelic face brimming with concern. She rolled her eyes. "Let her see Kayla. I'll be with her in case she decides to faint suddenly or anything, and you can come too. Carlie's probably with Kayla right now- that should be okay."

I did a double take at the clock. It was 1:00 a.m. in the morning!

"Forget it. I'll just go back to bed and see Kayla in the afternoon. What is with you vampires and late night wanderings?" I muttered, slipping back under the covers of the bed with a slight groan.

Ben bared a grin at me. "Heck yeah, we happen to love nighttime. Our prey never sees us coming, and then, bam, we get a free and easy meal. Actually-"

"Spare me the details," I hissed, rolling my eyes to take the sting out of my words.

"Other things happen at night too," Ben continued, ignoring me. One blood red eye looked at me lazily. "Vampires happen to love reproducing, you know."

"Get. Out." I launched a pillow at him from across the room. He moved out of the way gracefully, that infuriating look still on his face. But he winked secretively at me as he slipped out the door, Melina following.

"'Night, Bree."

"See you tomorrow, Melina."

The door clicked shut softly behind her. I sank deeply into the comfortable bed, letting my eyes fall shut. One thing Ben had said was still running through my mind.

_Vampires happen to love reproducing, you know._

That jerk.

* * * * * * * * * *

Haha. Bree has no idea…lol she's so naïve. I love her so much, though. As for Melina- she's by far my favorite :) Who's yours?


	8. Chapter 7

Hey, all! Sunrise is officially on hiatus no longer! Now, I know this chapter took a while to get out, and I must cry sorry to the world, but it was Bree's first impression of the Cullens. So of course it's important!

First off, tlover13, you rock. You're the only who actually reviewed on the chapter before this one, Kelse, and I just gotta love you for that! And a warning to Kiki- if she doesn't read this, Kelse, you'll just have to tell her-she better bring that book on Monday. Or our friendship is officially OVER.

Just kidding, love. ;D

Disclaimer: Melina belongs to me. Bree belongs to me. Janna also belongs to me. Corin and Demetri, however much I wish they did, do not. Corin's personality, however, is MINE. I loves him lots 8D

Enjoy.

* * * * * * * * * *

**(the dark shadows; they taste like light; why, oh why, do they do the things they do?)**

Bree

Floating on the edge of dreams and wakefulness, the blurry razor thin edge was invisible to human eyes and completely out of focus in the sleepy hours of the early morning. Opening wide, the air flowed in smoothly, tasting of icy radiance, flavored with the warm scent of sunlight that tickled as it was breathed in-

I yawned.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

I opened one sleepy blue eye, letting it fall lazily shut at the sight of the vampire. I sighed. "You haven't moved all night, have you?"

"S'not like I had anything better to do," Melina mumbled, dropping her gaze. "You're the most interesting thing around right now. Carlie's been fretting around that werewolf since one a.m. in the morning- it was bound to drive some of us insane."

"Where's Ben?" I asked, opening my eyes once more with effort. I kept the concern carefully out of my voice, when one glance of the room didn't reveal the vampire hiding somewhere nearby.

"Out hunting with the guys. They left about an hour ago, something about being back sometime tomorrow. You're not _worried_ about Ben, are you? He's a big boy; he can easily take care of himself," Melina said slyly with a wink.

I settled back against the pillows with a shrug. "Whatever."

"Carlie was astonished when he checked up on you this morning," Melina commented, carefully changing the subject. "You went from having a 105 degree temperature to a normal one in a couple of hours. Would have given him a heart attack had his actually been beating." She examined her perfect nails without a trace of interest. "Not much scares Carlie, Bree, but something about you scares him so much he'd rather not think about it. Edward told me that."

"Who's Edward?" I asked curiously.

"My brother. He's a mind reader- he's got the gift like Ben and I do."

"Exactly HOW many vampires have gifts?" I couldn't keep my tone from turning sarcastic.

"A lot do. It's just that usually they're completely useless as far as gifts go, so most of the time vampires pretend they don't have a gift at all. It's only very rarely that a vampire with a power of the magnitude that Ben has is born. Many of my family have gifts- Edward, as you know, reads minds; Alice, my sister, gets visions from the future; my brother Jasper can control people's emotions, and my sister Bella is a shield. Her daughter Renessmee can project thoughts and memories into others' minds."

Melina shifted up from her chair, crossing the room to throw open the curtains with a flourish, the beams of sunlight pouring in through the window. Her body began to glow and sparkle like she was made up of millions of tiny diamonds constantly catching my eye and drawing my gaze. I slowly made myself glance up into her face.

"She was the one that allowed you to defeat the Volturi the first time, right?"

"Why all the questions all of a sudden?" Melina sounded mildly curious, but I still scrambled to my own defense a little too quickly.

"Oh, nothing," I said, the words meshing together in my haste. The right side of Melina's mouth quirked up in a half smile as her golden eyes fell on mine.

"Perhaps you would like to meet the rest of my family?" Melina asked quietly after a couple minutes of scrutinizing me. Relief surged through me as I nodded eagerly. Pushing myself up off the soft bed proved to be rather difficult-I couldn't get a good enough grip to stop myself from sinking.

In another second Melina was holding me like she had last night, cradling me like I was five years old. I glared huffily up at her, then looked pointedly at the floor. "You have to stop doing that. Put me down."

She shrugged. "Okay."

Then I promptly crashed into the floor as she dropped me, tasting blood in my mouth. "Hey!"

Melina was staring at me, her golden eyes growing huge. They no longer looked so dreamy-they were reflecting her warring instincts inside, the side that said she was hungry, and the side that knew I was her friend.

The door burst open behind her, and suddenly there was another vampire pressing up against Melina, holding her back. "Easy, Mel. This is Bree you're thinking about eating."

I looked at him, and suddenly my heart almost stopped beating. He was amazingly hot, and though I was used to Ben always using his charm and good looks on me, there was a huge difference between this vampire and my friend. This vampire's golden eyes were darker then Ben's, flecked with lighter gold the color of warm melted caramel. He had bronze hair that had a light all its own, despite the fact that the sunlight was on the other side of the room. He kinda looked almost godly standing there in my hospital room, where everything was completely white and boring.

I snapped my gaze to Melina, who was still looking at me hungrily.

"Hello, earth to Melina-I am NOT a drumstick. And if you ever dare to actually test that, I'll have Ben slam you into next week." I said, putting one hand on my hip and waving a finger at her threateningly. "Got it?"

Melina stared uncomprehendingly at me. The other vampire was looking at me strangely too, his dark eyes flashing as he gripped Melina's wrist tightly.

"So you're Bree," he sighed, releasing Melina. I flinched away from her, but she wandered over to the sheets, sniffing intently. I almost laughed.

"Yeah. Who're you?" I kept up the attitude. I liked this new side of me.

"Edward Cullen, at your service." He bowed elegantly, and my jaw dropped. There went my new reputation as tough.

"YOU'RE the mind reader?"

He laughed, and I glared. "You could say that. Nice to meet you, Bree."

"You too," I said grumpily. I turned to Melina. "Can I go to see Kayla now?"

The vampire suddenly turned around and looked at me for the first time since being released, like she hadn't known I was there. "Kayla?"

"The werewolf?" I said, exasperated. After a couple seconds I headed for the door, striding quickly and rolling my eyes. "Seriously? Am I the only sane person around?"

"Pretty much," Edward admitted, holding the door open for me. "The only non-vampire in the house except for Kayla. The only one sane enough not to drink blood."

"They all mean the same thing," I muttered. "Mortal." I leaned against the wall, staring moodily at the floor.

"Hey," Edward said softly. "If I have a say in it, not for long."

Looking up at him, I flashed a sad smile. "Ben and Kayla will fight you for all they're worth."

Memories were swimming in his eyes. "I know."

A light creak from the floorboards and there was another vampire standing next to Edward, holding his hand. She was looking at him intently. I could tell that it would take me forever to get used to living in a house with vampires who kept popping up whenever you were finally beginning to get comfortable.

I rolled my eyes.

The vampire noticed me for the first time. "Who the heck are you?"

"Bree." Offering absolutely no explanation whatsoever, I narrowed my eyes at her. She glared back, looking two times as dangerous and scary as me. Golden eyes with dark hair made a good combination on her, just like honey eyes and hair looked good on Melina.

"Bella, this is the girl that Ben and the werewolf came with." Edward still looked distant.

Bella ignored me as she turned to look down the hall. Soon enough, a gorgeous dark haired girl strode around the corner, tying her hair up with nimble fingers. She tipped her head when she saw us, her eyes flashing.

"Mom, Emmett stole my IPod again-this time he promised to light it on fire on the camping trip until I told Rose to lay off his devilcake-" She stopped and stared at me. "Who invited the human?"

I threw my hands up, glaring at the ceiling. "Did Ben give you guys ANY warning at all?"

The family of three stared at me. Fortunately, none of them were drooling like Melina had been. And none of them shared the wild steely glint flashing in their eyes, accompanied by a tension in the rock hard muscles that all vamps had. Alone, they would have been quite fearsome--together they were terrifying the crap out of me with the glares they were sending my way. Instead of quaking, which was what I was naturally leaning toward at the moment, I held my ground and sent the Cullens my patented _Wha? _stare.

In response I got three identical blank looks.

In that moment Melina decided to pop in.

"Oh good!" she squealed, clapping her pale hands together. "Looks like somebody finally decided to get social."

Bella sent Melina an impassive glance, raising her eyebrows. "You knew about this?"

"Of course, Bella, dear sister." Bella rolled her eyes. Melina turned to me, excitement glowing in her honey gold eyes. "Bree, this is –"

"Bella, Renesmee, and Edward." I flashed a smug grin. "I don't ignore everything, you know. You know, the Volturi-"

The vampires' eyes glinted red in an instant. Something like a growl exploded out of Bella's mouth as she narrowed her eyes fiercely at me. Renesmee seemed to have shrunk behind her mother and father, who were both baring their fangs at me, beautiful and dangerous. I suddenly feared for my life.

"What did you say?" Edward snarled.

Melina darted between us, placing a fist against his chest, pushing him back. "Leave it alone, Edward."

"I said, what did you say?!" Edward roared, throwing himself against Melina. His golden eyes hardened into amber as he strained against the honey haired vampire, who still held him back easily as if she was holding back a child. That's when I realized Melina wasn't an old vampire.

She had to be under a year old. Otherwise, an older vampire like Edward would have gotten the best of her, shouldering her aside and ripping me apart. I'd seen many new vampires, being as close to the Volturi as I had. They were known for their incredible strength, the human blood still pulsing vividly through their veins for a year and then dwindling out as they grew older. I could see it in Edward's rippling muscles as he thrust as hard as he could against Melina, feel her relax as she warded him off, not even breaking into a sweat.

My eyes widened against my will.

"Back off," Melina growled, and this time her voice held a note of warning, shining brightly as it faded, being replaced by another growl from Bella. She still stood in front of Renesmee protectively, crouched and ready to spring with a second's notice.

"How do you know about the Volturi?" Bella asked warily. Edward suddenly froze, sending her a quizzical look. She gave him a small nod, then her eyes fell on me. "Well?"

"They want my power," I murmured quietly. My fists clenched unconsciously.

"You're still human, though," Renesmee pointed out, sniffing at the air delicately. "You wouldn't be if they wanted you as badly as you say. They wouldn't chase a human halfway across the world for nothing."

I stared at her in surprise. Melina relaxed instantly, leaning against the wall beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. Renesmee shrugged.

"Grandpa Carlisle told me. I was helping him with that werewolf, and he said something about the Volturi, that they were restless after seven years. They want revenge. Siobhan felt it, can still feel it, and Maggie can too. They were lying when they said they'd never come back."

Bella looked down at her daughter. "They will _never_ come back, sweetie. We scared them stiff last time, and last I heard Aro was still tending to his wounded pride. The Volturi are absolutely terrified of having to face Carlisle again." she said soothingly, gently smoothing Renesmee's gorgeous brunette hair.

"Let me see," Renesmee insisted, stepping toward me. He inquisitive eyes shone. I found myself entranced and spellbound, unable to move an inch. She reached toward me, brushing a finger against my forehead.

"Renesmee!"

My vision went blank.

Suddenly I was standing in a field back in Italy, the gently rolling hills extending around me as far as I could see. In front of me lay Volterra, grim in its haunted beauty as it loomed over everything for miles, the brooding king sitting atop his dark throne. A shiver passed through me as I looked up at it reverently, my heart pounding despite the fear choking it.

"There you shall rule one day, Bree. Alongside me and my brothers. You would like that, wouldn't you, darling?" Aro whispered in my ear. "You long for glory, to hold the power of the world in your hands. And you shall have it _all_."

"All you have to do is serve," Caius murmured, his voice holding all the promise and the temptation in the world. "Servitude is a small price for power, is it not, young one?"

"Join us, and your riches will be beyond imagining. I swear it." Marcus's choc lately voice tickled my ear. "Upon the ashes of the old empire, yours will rise and outshine all the rest. All you have to do is-"

_Give you my power._

And, fearing for my life,

all I cared about,

I accepted.

Another memory flashed before my eyes. This time I was standing in the training room, lithe figures flying about, dancing with each other dangerously, darting back and forth. Demetri stood beside me, one of his red eyes on me at all times. I couldn't keep my eyes off the fighting vampires, my heart fluttering with excitement. I was to become one of _them_.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Demetri asked softly.

"Yes," I breathed. The vampire tucked a strand of my loose hair behind my ear, chuckling quietly. I felt an icy finger trace my cheek before Demetri snatched his hand back.

"Your time will come, Bree. The waiting is the hardest part. It will be worth it, I promise you." His voice was quiet, seductive.

"Really?"

"I promise."

How could I know he was lying to me the whole time? Him and Chelsea, the traitors. Anger surged through me, sweeping me off my feet. I gritted my teeth as I fell into another memory.

This one I remembered with blinding clarity.

Volterra was dark and lonely that night. Nobody patrolled the streets; all the immortals were too busy preparing for the holiday tomorrow. I slunk carefully down the streets, darting from shadow to shadow, a wraith that remained hidden in the corner of someone's vision. My breath wreathed around my head, the vapor dissipating as I sucked in another harried breath.

Escape had to come first. Later I would find a way to foil the Volturi's plans, ensure that I would not be a part of them. Destroy them first, ask questions later.

A pale hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I let out a strangled moan. I was dealing with _vampires_, not mortals that wouldn't be able to hear a thing. I had failed to escape, failed to save the Cullens from the Volturi's ill fated plans to destroy them. But most of all, I had disappointed myself.

The vampire spun me around. "_Bree?_"

"Demetri?" I gasped.

The vampire gripped me in his icy hands, and a sinking feeling rose in my stomach. He was going to turn me in.

His red eyes linked onto mine and held them there. "You aren't supposed to be here. Are you trying to escape, perhaps?" His tone was casual, like we were discussing my attempt at escaping over coffee and doughnuts.

I sighed. "Shoot me."

"I might." His eyes flashed.

Something very much like hope fluttered in my chest at the amusement sparkling openly in his eyes. All I had to do was push him, send him over the edge and tumbling, for him to let me go. He was so close, the indecision and the slight glint of amusement still darkening his eyes.

"Demetri," I whispered. "I need to go. You know what they're planning--you were part of it seven years ago!"

"And I still am," he reminded me quietly, a steely look quickly replacing his sympathetic one. I was losing him. His hands tightened on my wrist, and I found myself pulling away, reaching one hand out for the wall, desperately scrabbling with my fingers.

He ripped me away from it fiercely, leaving a bloody trail tracing my fingertips. I stared down at them in horror, my gaze floating up to Demetri, whose face was open with shock. My breath rasped through my throat as I waited for the bite, the one that would take away my freedom, my mortality. The one that would claim my life, and I would truly have fallen then.

Demetri was suddenly hugging me, his chin resting on top of my head.

"You're right," he whispered hoarsely. "You becoming a vampire would destroy everything. Everything I love about you. Your silent determination, your compassion; all of it would become forgotten in the blink of an eye." He held me back at an arm's length, his red gaze washing over me, causing shivers to run up and down my back. "I won't let the Volturi destroy you, Bree. I'll fight with everything I have and prove that I'm not as coldhearted as you think I am, that I'm not powerless without the Volturi."

I could feel a tear coming down my cheek. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Demetri. I'll never forget, I promise."

He nodded, and suddenly he was only a warm scent on the breeze, ice stinging against my cheek where his lips had brushed against it, the only thing he had left me. What did he think he was going to do? He was only one, and the Volturi were many. I suddenly felt sick at heart, the feeling growing and expanding through my system.

Then I remembered.

I wasn't completely defenseless. True, I was only human, and I'd made enough mistakes in my life. But I knew with my whole being that this wasn't a mistake. I'd been given the very tool I needed to escape. How could I have forgotten what my father had told me before he died, before the Volturi had arrived?

The power of time, bestowed once every couple hundred years, was…

Mine.

The raw power coursed through me, and I felt a smile inch its way across my face as I cautiously poked my head out of the alley, seeing the light from the lamppost shatter as I dashed through it, onto the cobbled streets, no longer keeping up the pretense of remaining hidden. Whatever Demetri was going to do, I had to be ready. My feet slammed down on the stone, my breath being ripped from me as I ran as hard as I could toward the main gate.

I didn't know how long I could hold it. Already it was threatening to quit on me; a small movement here and there as I kicked a can as I raced, a stray cat springing onto a garbage can, its orange eyes glowing like a lamp. My calves burned, the air coming in icy cold. The gate flew into sight, and a sigh of relief escaped me. But time was beginning to speed up again, rushing past like a whisper in the wind. The dam broke.

Time seeped back into Volterra, my strength draining along with it. I collapsed on the ground.

"I won't let you give up now." A voice breathed in my ear. "Not ever."

Cold strength surged through me. _Demetri…_

He grasped my hand tightly, swinging me up into his arms swiftly, moving with his vampire speed toward the gate. I saw over his shoulder what I hadn't seen before-two vampires gaping at us. They wore the dark cloaks of the Volturi, but they stood still as if I had binded them in time, frozen to the earth.

Another vampire stood in front of them. All I could see of him was his tousled blonde hair waving gently in the winter breeze. The two vampires weren't staring at us exactly; they were staring agog at the blonde, like they were sleepwalking with their eyes wide open. A flaring bluish light flared from his finger, and suddenly he was turning toward us, the light burning in his eyes.

"Demetri," he nodded at the vampire who was still cradling me with little effort.

"Thank you, Corin," Demetri answered, his eyes on the still hypnotized Volturi. I felt his muscles tense under me.

Corin turned his burning blue eyes on me. "Hello, Bree."

A brief smile curled my lips. "Couldn't wait to join in, could you? You always liked a good fight."

"That I do." Corin gestured toward the gate. "Well?" he prompted Demetri, who seemed reluctant to let go of me. I closed my eyes.

Corin was probably the only one who could have ever gotten both me and Demetri out of this mess. Gifted with the power to erase memories and wipe a mind clean of thoughts, he was one of the only vampires of the Volturi that I actually liked. He was the type to always be the first on the scene, both cautious and daring at the same time. Aro had found him with a weak coven, unguarded, and of course just _had_ to have him. Corin's whole coven had fallen locked in battle with the Volturi guard, and though he hid it well, I could tell he missed them something fierce. It came out in his voice, always the tiniest layer of anger in his tone when he addressed any of the guard, the hard mask he always put on in front of Aro. He couldn't throw off the bond Chelsea had tied him with; she had tied him tighter than ropes with loyalty to the Italian rulers against his will.

And yet he had jumped in to defend me and Demetri-Chelsea's control was slipping. I felt a trickle of affection when I looked into Corin's bright eyes.

"Thank you." I murmured.

"Anything for you, Bree." Corin whispered back. He turned his lamplike eyes back on Demetri. "I'd go now if I were you. I'm going to release them in a couple minutes so no one gets suspicious."

Demetri nodded, and Corin was suddenly all the way across the square. He waved back at us, a grin lighting up his pale face. Then he was gone, slipping back the way we had come, back toward the citadel.

Demetri didn't put me down. The ice rolling off his body blasted through me as he walked swiftly through the gate, hurrying down the path. Once he was outside the walls of Volterra, he moved with lightning speed, and a couple seconds later we were standing in the outlying forest.

At last he set me down gently.

"I have to go."

"I know." My throat constricted. "What will you do now?"

"Turn traitor," he whispered, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Corin and I are going to destroy them from the inside out. Chelsea's bonds are slipping; already I feel no loyalty to the Volturi anymore. It's only a matter of time before others start to be released."

"Tell Corin goodbye for me. Janna too. I know she'll be wondering why I'm gone." My insides twisted at the thought of the tiny vampire, her eyes the tiniest glint of gold among the ranks. The rulers never noticed how she slipped out of the citadel at night, to feed on the animals in the surrounding forest, how she was slowly turning herself into one of those that the Italians hated.

"We'll explain everything," Demetri promised.

"She can help a lot," I went on. "She's already rebelling and turning herself into one of the golden eyes. Her gift should be useful, too."

Janna could control shadows. Create illusions with the things that crept through the night, and darken a person's sight with a single thought. She was that powerful, and she was the one that Chelsea turned most of her bonding power on. But Janna had a strong will, and _no one_ was going to tell her what she could and could not do.

A twig snapped behind Demetri. He whirled around, his red eyes widening, shoving me behind him. I was just in time to catch a glimpse of silver eyes gleaming in the darkness; one flash and they were gone.

All the tension melted from Demetri. "Just a fox. But still, you should probably go."

I stepped away, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'll miss you," I called.

Demetri didn't answer, just stared at me calmly, something both wonderful and dangerous in his eyes as he watched me race away. I drank in my last memory of him like I was achingly thirsty, longing for something familiar.

As I slipped away, I knew in my heart that it could never work. Demetri, Corin, and Janna, despite their best intentions, would fall and be bound ever tighter by the constricting ropes of Chelsea's power. And now that I was gone, I couldn't help anymore.

And so, as the forest flew by, my heart slamming against my chest again and again, I said goodbye to my homeland.

I remembered Aro's voice with hatred.

_You shall have it all._

Caius.

_Servitude is a small price for power, is it not, young one?_

A small price indeed. And one day, I would have to pay a most terrible price for my weakness, as Aro knew, as Caius knew, as Demetri knew. I would have to pay with my life.

_You have a choice, _Demetri had once said.

He was right, as always.

I broke the surface gasping for breath as the last of adrenaline pumped through my veins. I looked wide eyed down the hallway, my breath squeezing out in short bursts as if I _had _been running for my life. The Cullens were all looking at me red eyes ablaze.

Renesmee simply looked amazed. "Your memories…they're _clear_."

I couldn't bring myself to say that they were the memories I cherished; my last glimpse of Demetri and Corin, of Janna, the only thing that kept me alive and plowing through my years with the Volturi. They were the light in my dark world, shining brightly and causing the tiny seed of hope buried in me to begin to grow.

"I've never seen that side of Demetri before," Edward said quietly.

"Chelsea's bonds are breaking!" Melina squealed. "The Volturi are falling apart, and they can't do anything to stop it." She bounced upward on her heels.

I finally found my voice. "No. Demetri and Corin have failed. It's the feeling of dread I get whenever the memories come into mind."

"She's right," a calm voice said behind Edward and Bella. Carlisle. He flipped his silver razor cell shut. "Siobhan just called. The Volturi have entered Ireland and are rapidly approaching the Irish Coven's home. I got a similar report from the Amazonian and Romanian covens."

"They're already moving?" Edward sounded outraged.

"Siobhan, Vladmir, and Zafrina are already on their way here with their covens. I haven't gotten anything from Amun yet-no doubt he's convinced that we've kidnapped Benjamin again."

"Did you talk to the nomads?" Bella broke in, bristling. She wasn't quite happy that she was being left out of the discussion.

Who the heck were all these people? My mind was growing dizzy with all the names and places, spinning while I attempted to stay on my feet. All I managed to say was, "Kayla?"

"Oh, that's right." Melina nodded. She grabbed my hand, pulling me alongside her. "I'll be right back," she called to Carlisle, who waved once and herded his family into my sick room. Apparently they had decided to hold the meeting in there.

Melina, with her young vampire strength, hauled me all the way down the hall. We came out in a huge room, a glittering chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Apparently once you were a vampire, you could spend all eternity making a good life for yourself. Melina had told me that most of the money the Cullens had now had been earned by Alice, with her weird future visions of the stock market.

Makes you really consider how useful stopping time is, eh?

The vampire yanked me into one of the other hallways connected to the huge room, and it whisked out of sight. I stumbled along on weak legs after her, my head still twirling. My sight was beginning to get blurry now, too.

_Melina, _I tried to say. My voice wouldn't work.

The vampire halted in front of a stout oaken door, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Here." She shoved open the door, stepping over the threshold. I followed, still much disoriented but conscious enough to take in _everything_.

My glance fell on Kayla immediately.

"Oh no."

Melina smiled grimly. "It was the only way."

"Oh, Kayla!" I whispered, before collapsing on the floor.

_You once said you would protect me. I vowed I would as well._

_What happens when one of us breaks the promise...?_

_The world falls apart._

* * * * * * * * * *

Can I say that I'm really beginning to love Melina? She's my absolute favorite of all time-she'll be _very_ important later-*winks*-

Chuck Norris demands that you Read & Review.


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